Jamestown proposes $961,500 FY26 capital budget; larger items deferred to bond proposal

Jamestown — Town staff presented a proposed FY26 capital budget of $961,500 to the Town Council on Oct. 12, allocating funds across departments and deferring several large-ticket items to a bond proposal the council is considering.

Why it matters: the FY26 package funds routine maintenance and targeted projects while pushing major equipment and building repairs into a proposed bond, a choice councilors and members of the public said affects debt-service levels and the town’s long-term budgeting strategy.

The presentation began on a 10-year capital summary and noted a historical 10-year average capital spend of about $905,000 (with a FY17 comparable figure of $1.2 million and a FY21 low of about $584,000). The administrator recommended funding items from operating or the capital fund rather than bonding for smaller requests.

Key FY26 recommendations included: - Affordable-housing trust: $100,000 (the planning department had requested $225,000; the proposal would bring the trust to nearly $900,000 total). - Road paving: $300,000 of town funds, which makes Jamestown eligible for an additional $100,000 in state grant money to increase available paving investment to $400,000 for the year. Staff noted carryover grant funds from prior years and said contractor availability will limit how much can be completed this season. - Bike path (North Road segment from Sloop Street to West Reach): $80,000 to complete the final section of the town path. - Police: replacement of one cruiser ($56,000) and a portable-radio replacement program (10 portables, $30,000 after the chief identified a lower-cost option). - Fire: turnout-gear replacement program ($25,000), a stretcher with power assist ($30,000), and an ALS responder SUV ($50,000). Full SCBA replacement (estimated at $300,000) and several station projects were proposed for inclusion in the bond. - DPW equipment: a $920,000 request for a shared leaf-vac and other equipment was deferred to the bond proposal; building-maintenance needs (about $3,000,000 of various initiatives listed in the packet) were also recommended for the bond.

The six-year capital planning summary showed roughly $14 million of anticipated requests across departments, and staff highlighted a placeholder of $2.5 million for a ladder truck replacement within the next two to three years, with pricing and delivery timelines still uncertain.

Staff explained that different assets would be financed for different terms — shorter maturities for equipment versus longer for building projects — and said the town will avoid financing equipment over impractically long terms. The presentation also noted life-cycle considerations (for example, the existing portable radios were about 22 years old and have become hard to maintain because manufacturers no longer support parts for older models).

Public comments and council discussion focused on fiscal strategy and the town’s 4% tax-cap rule. A member of the public asked whether growing debt service will squeeze other parts of the operating budget under the cap. Staff and councilors explained that debt service is part of the operating budget and that for some cap-related matters a waiver can be sought; several speakers said the cap encourages borrowing rather than pay-as-you-go saving and makes long-term planning more difficult.

Ending: Councilors thanked department heads and staff for a restrained, needs-based package and agreed to continue review of the bond proposal alongside the capital budget. The meeting adjourned after public comment and routine motions.